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Clean air filtration

Could Cold Air Be Causing Your Cough?

Understanding the Causes Behind a Dry Cough

So far, 2020 has been taken with worry over viruses and airborne bacteria. Many people in the world aren’t allowed to leave their houses unless they are getting groceries or something else that is essential to their livelihood.

That said, if you do venture out to the grocery store, the last thing you want to be caught doing is coughing or sneezing. You may not be sick at all, but when the air is cold and dry you tend to cough more because your throat gets irritated. You may not realize it, but your home could be in need of an AC filter replacement.

If you are someone that coughs when the air is cold and dry and you are isolating yourself in your home, then it’s important to keep your home warm and moist enough to keep you from coughing. Continue reading to learn more about the issue.

What Makes You Cough?

The list is seemingly endless as to why you are coughing. The time of year plays a major part in this. In the spring, a lot of people start sneezing and coughing because their allergies flare-up. There are numerous other reasons, though, including:

  • coughingAsthma
  • A Post-Nasal Drip
  • Acid Reflux Disease
  • Chronic Bronchitis
  • A Cold
  • The Flu

One of the most common reasons people cough when they aren’t sick is due to cold and dry air. Air that is cold and dry will cause your throat to become irritated and force you to cough to try and reverse this feeling.

Unfortunately, the more you cough, the more your throat becomes irritated. There are ways to combat this, though, and there has never been a more important time to do this than now.

Increase the Temperature in Your Home

Chances are, you are spending more time in your home right now than you normally do. It is crucial to keep your home’s temperature and air quality in the best condition in order to keep you and those in your household safe from sickness.

Not only this, but it is important to keep your household safe from coughing as well. As mentioned above, everyone is in the midst of a weird time when coughing in public is severely frowned upon and causes panic in those around you.

home temperature

Turning up the temperature within your home is a great way to help reduce cold air coughing. When the temperature is a little warmer it causes natural moisture to return into the air, which will save your throat and reduce your coughing. Additionally, it can help lower your energy costs as your unit will work less in your home.

Investing in a Humidifier

humidifierAnother great way to reduce coughing during this time of year is to purchase a humidifier. Maybe you are someone that cannot stand to be in a house that is any warmer than what you naturally keep it set at.

If turning up the temperature is out of the question, another great way to add moisture into the air is to have a humidifier running at all times. That said, if you combine these two methods, you will see the greatest results.

Turning up the temperature and supplementing moisture in the air with a humidifier are the two best things for anyone that suffers from a cold air cough. You will likely see a major difference within the first couple of hours.

Patriot Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Inc. Is Here for You

Leave the frustrations for someone else. When you are dealing with plumbing or HVAC issues, Patriot Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Inc. works hard to keep your home working properly and to keep you safe, all year. Make sure to start the path to a healthier home environment.

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If Hot & Cold Spots at Home Could Speak, They Would Blame…

What Hot and Cold Spots Say About the HVAC System

Ever been in one room in the house where it feels like a sauna, and then walk into the room right next to it and it feels like an igloo? It’s kind of an odd experience to go from one extreme to another when the rooms are so close together. Of course, most houses will have a slight differentiation in temperature going from an upper level or main level down to the basement, as it tends to be a little bit cooler in the basement.

But if there are other extreme temperature zones in the house, these are known as hot and cold spots. When this happens, it’s often a signal that something is not quite right with the HVAC system, and some repairs (or HVAC maintenance) may need to take place to get things back in order.

Airflow Problems are a Common Cause

airflow problemsWhen there are hot and cold spots in the house, an airflow problem is typically at the center of the cause. There may be one or multiple rooms that are not getting enough airflow from the HVAC system, which ends up resulting in those noticeably different temperatures between rooms.

There are several causes for airflow problems, so it’s important that homeowners figure out what the cause is in their particular situation. It could be that the ducts are not sized properly, that the ducts are damaged or leaking, or that the ducts were not properly designed to distribute a balanced airflow. Regardless of the cause, it can cause major airflow issues throughout your home.

How to Fix Airflow Problems

The simplest fix to an airflow problem is to add some more airflow. Adding a duct and an additional supply vent to the room or region that isn’t getting enough air can be a quick fix to the problem. However, this isn’t a good long-term solution. The best way to fix an airflow problem is to properly measure and adjust the airflow to make it balanced throughout the house.

why hot and cold spots

An HVAC professional can help to measure how much air actually blows into each region of the house, analyze the insulation levels and ductwork, and identify sources of air infiltration. Utilizing a professional can help homeowners build a solution around the specific source of their airflow problem.

Other Reasons for Hot and Cold Spots

fixing airflow problemsAnother common cause for hot and cold spots is that the house isn’t properly zoned. A zoning system can allow homeowners to control different rooms or “zones” of the house on an individual basis rather than trying to set a temperature for the entire house.

If the house isn’t zoned, it can lead to those annoying and inconsistent temperatures. Hot and cold spots could also be from a homeowner overworking the HVAC system, causing parts of it to shut down or malfunction. Additionally, homeowners should check for leaks around doors, windows, and attic stairs.

It could be that one room is particularly colder because the cold air from outside is leaking into the home and the warm air from inside is leaking out. Sealing this leak will allow the temperatures to adjust properly and resolve the common HVAC problem of hot and cold spots.

About Patriot Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Inc.

Patriot Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Inc., prides itself on finding creative solutions that are within their customers’ budgets. Whether they need maintenance, installation or repairs, their team has a diverse skill set to handle all HVAC services for Wenatchee‘s homeowners and their toughest situations.

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